"Dragster race" fears of witness on night of Conisbrough death crash

A PEDESTRIAN who saw two cars at traffic lights on the night of a crash in five teenage friends died said they set off as if in a “dragster race”.

The inquest into the deaths of Toyota Corolla driver Bartosz Bortniczak (18), from Doncaster, Blake Cairns (16) of Wheatley, Arpad Kore (18) from Intake, Jordanna Goodwin (16) from Intake, and Megan Storey (16) from Armthorpe, in the smash on the A630 in the town last November resumed this morning at Doncaster Coroner’s Court.

David Stanton, who was walking to the Texaco garage in Edlington on the night of the accident, said he saw two cars waiting at the lights.

He added: “I formed the opinion they were driving together as while they were waiting they were revving their engines.

“One would, then the other would retaliate.

“They set off like a dragster race — obviously they were racing each other.

“I said out loud to myself: ‘That’s a recipe for disaster.’”

Mr Stanton said he could not identify the make and model of the cars involved and police said the weather conditions would have made it impossible.

Jonathan Earp, a passenger in a Vauxhall Corsa being driven by friend Ben York, told the Doncaster Coroner, Ms Nicola Mundy, he recalled the Corolla always being behind theirs and there was no revving of the engines.

The inquest continues and is expected to last at least two days.